from Nikkei

生産能力　セメント２～３割削減　太平洋や宇部興産　需要戻らずと判断　素材各社　アジアでは積極投資

According to sources, Japanese cement manufacturing companies are going to reduce their capacity of domestic production together. The first-ranked Taiheiyo Cement Corporation would diminish its capacity by about 30 percent. And in-the-fourth-running Ube Industries,Ltd. would cut down its capacity by 20 percent suspending one of its key equipment for a long time.
These deals come from their judgement that dmestic demand for cement will never come back to high like that a decade ago.

Above is a story in domestic market, in Japan.In oveaseas markets, however,like in Asia, which is now exapanding,such material companies are proceeding with vigorous investments there.

from today's Nikkei

小売り出店　都市部に集中　マツキヨ最多　コンビニ高水準　郊外の大型　激減　　小型店軸に競争激化

According to a data, there is a trend that among retailers opening of shops has been and will be concentrated in urban areas. Specifically,Matsumoto Kiyoshi Holdings Co.,Ltd. , which is one of the largest convinience store operators in Japan,has a plan to open in 2010 the largest-ever number of shops and other convinience store operators also likely maintain their strategy of setting up new stores on a high pace the same as that in the previous year.

like this, as for the small-size retailing stores, their number is on the increase.On the other hand, as for the big-size stores, which have been playing a major role in evoking domestic consumption, their number is on the decrease facing difficulties such as overall economic recession and restriction on their newly opening of the store in suburbs.

Given these conditions, it is expected that competition between retailers will be more and more severe, especially between small businesses.